Impact of Registry on reentry experiences of individuals convicted of sex crimes.

Impact of Registry on reentry experiences of individuals convicted of sex crimes Introduction: Individuals convicted of sex crimes are subject to restrictions no other individuals face after incarceration as a function of requirements to register on the Sex Offenders Registry. These restrictions impact many aspects of community reentry. In this presentation, we will focus on the impact of registration on employment and housing. Methodology: We interviewed 75 individuals convicted of sex crimes on a variety of issues related to their reentry. This data was collected as a part of a larger investigation in the experiences of individuals convicted of sex crimes using semi-structured interviews. Individuals who volunteered were asked a series of questions related to their housing and employment pre- and post-conviction. We also queried participants on various factors related to their offense and registration on the sex offender registry and how this may have impacted their reentry experiences. Study results: Some of the preliminary results show that, overall, securing and maintaining employment and housing were significant challenges for respondents. Specifically, 81% indicated that securing a job was challenging because of restrictions such as background checks, the proximity of employment to restricted areas (e.g., schools), and limited Internet access. Housing challenges were endorsed by 78% of the participants with proximity to restricted areas like schools being the main factor. Detailed findings, policy implications, and future directions will be discussed.